A host of programs currently exists in South Texas dedicated to the improvement of health for minorities. In order to take full advantage of the many opportunities to develop research alliances throughout the region, a Core for Collaborative Alliances will be created. The Director, Dr. Ramon Baez, will be charged with establishing liaisons with international organizations such as WHO, federal programs such as the Health Education Training Centers Alliance of Texas and the Area Health Education Center, state programs such as the South Texas Health Research Center, Health Science Center Research Projects dealing with diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Hispanics, Dental School outreach clinics, and private non- profit organizations such as the National Migrant Resource Program. Some of the objectives of the Core will be to identify: all ongoing minority oral health research; minority health research projects willing to incorporate an oral health component; established programs that might fund oral health research; potential oral health collaborators in remote facilities; clinical sites where studies might be undertaken; and clinical activities that might include research elements. In addition, the Core will function in every way to stimulate clinical research on minorities. To assist potential researchers in these endeavors, the Core will provide a data base of minority subjects from the Dental School and other programs, provide expertise in the writing of protocols and IRB applications, and lend the resources of the RRCMOH-San Antonio to coordinate and facilitate multi-party research projects.